Photographic camera



' (No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 1.

E. B. BARKER.

PHOTOGRAPHIO CAMERA.

No. 400,162. Patented Mar. 26, 1889.

i 1, I 2 i 7 g E 3' E Zflan/"45,565 1710672502 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

B. B. BARKER.

PHOTOGRAPHIG CAMERA.

No. 400,162. Patented Mar. 26, 1889.

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ERASTUS B. BARKER, OF NEVARK, NE\V JERSEY.

PHOTOGRAPHIC CAMERA.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 400,162, dated March 26, 1889.

Application filed October 26, 1888- Serial No. 289,237. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERASTUS B. BARKER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Photographic Cameras, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in portable photographic cameras, certain features of my invention,however, being applicable to photographic cameras generally.

Among other things hereinafter set forth my invention consists in improvements in the shutter; also in the lens-frame; also in the tension device for the shield; also in the plate holders, and in the construction and arrangement of the rear interior of the camera-box, which constitutes a chamber adapted to contain a number of plate-holders during the use and transportation, each plate-holder in turn being properly presented to the lens by the automatic action of the several devices employed in conjunction with proper manipulation of the plate-holders.

In the drawings the same parts are indicated by the same reference-letters in all the figures.

Figure 1 illustrates a top view, looking down into the camera-box, the cover being removed. Fig. 2 illustrates an interior view of the end of the camera-box, showing the construction of the shutter and its coacting parts. Fig. 3 illustrates one form of the plate-holder-actuating spring. Fig. 4 illustrates another top view, looking down into the camera-box, the cover being removed, and showing the relation of the parts when the lens-cone is adjusted rearwardly during the use of a long-distance lens. Fig. 5 illustrates a vertical sectional view of the camera-box through the median line of Fig. 4:.

A is the camera-box body. It may be made of such material as preferred, and it is provided with a cover, B, and with the usual light-aperture, O, which may or may not have an exterior shutter, D, of any preferred construction. E is a lens-cone. F is the lens in the front end thereof.

G is a packing, of felt or other equivalent material, surrounding the rear end or face of the lens-cone, whereby light is excluded when the plate-holders are pressed against it. The lens-cone is an independent structure of itself, not permanently attached to the box, but is adjusted longitudinally therein by means of the set-screw H, which plays through a longitudinal slot in the bottom of the box. Other equivalent means may be employed for this purpose. The lens-cone is made removable, in order that the lenses may be easily changed.

J is a flash-shield, which is pivoted to the front of the box by the pivot K. One end of a spring, L, is attached to the shield at L, whereby itis operated as usual. The other end of the spring is attached to a ratchet, L which turns on the pivot K, and is held by a spring-actuated stop-pawl, M, pivoted on the arm N. The arm is rigid. The tension of the spring is increased or reduced by turning the ratchet forward or back, it being held in the desirable position by means of the stoppawl.

O is a stop which slides vertically behind a spring, P, hereinafter described. It is operated by a pin, Q,from the exterior of the box. Vhen elevated, it engages with a notch, q, in the periphery of the shutter and holds it with the opening therein coincident with the light-aperture C in the front of the box.

It is obvious that a pin or its equivalent projecting from the shutter may be used instead of the notch 61. This device is employed only when time-exposures are desired.

The stop 0 is slotted at o in its vertical portion, (see Fig. 2,) and is held in whatever position it may be left by the spring friction of the spring P, which is held in place by the screws 0 which pass through it and through the slots 0 and enter the front of the box.

R is another stop pawl or hook, which is likewise actuated from the exterior of the box by the pin S, which passes through and works in a slot, S, made in the side of the box. This stop is normally held in an elevated position, or, in other words, away from the bottom of the box, by a spring, U The size of the segmental shutter and the adjustment of these several devices are such that the sides of the box serve as ultimate stops to determine the range of movement of the shutter, and the stops are so located and adjusted that the notch on the shutter will always engage with the stop R when swung sufficiently to the right, but will not engage with the stop unless it be elevated into the path of the notch q in the shutter on its return swing after being released from the stop R. u

T T, &c., are double plate-holders. They are substantially the same as those now well known, with the exception that the upper bar, which forms part of the slides, and by means of which they are pulled out from the plateholder, instead of being made all of the same appearance, as is now the custom, are alternately of light and dark color, as shown in Figs. 1, 4: and 5, those marked T being light and those marked T being dark. This can be conveniently done by employing differentcolored woods for the slide-bars, or in such other manner as may be preferred, and other means of distinguishing them aside from differences in color may be used. The purpose in alternating the color of the slide-bars is, that thereby the user can tell at a glance how many pictures he has taken, and also how many and which ones of the plates have not been exposed, because as soon as the first picture is taken the plate-holder containing it is to be pulled from the box by means of the pull ring or strap U, and it is then carried to the rear and, being reversed with the non-exposed plate to the front, is slid into the box again in front of the springs V, the holders in the box being thereby set ahead, or, in other words, moved toward the front of the box toward the lens-cone one step. This brings the slide-bars which are of the same color into juxtaposition. Thus when they in this relation have reached the foremost position the operator knows his plates have been half used up, and during the taking of succeeding pictures the operator likewise turns the plates around when moving them to the rear, which brings two of the slidebars which are of the other color into juxtaposition, and when these in turn have moved to the foremost position the operator knows his plates have all been used.

In Fig. l I show six double plate-holders, and in Figs. 4 and 5 but five. This is occasioned by the rearward movement of the lens-cone, consequent on a change of the lens from short to long distance lens. I desire that the front of the lens, irrespective of its focus, should always be located close to the shutter. Therefore when a long-focus lens is used it is necessary that the lens-cone should move rearwardly, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, as compared with Fig. 1. This rearward movement of the lens-cone necessarily contracts the space occupied by plateholders. Thus sometimes, when in its most rearward position, one or more of the plateholders must be left out, and in order that the plate-holders may always be pressed firmly against the rear felt-covered end of the lens cone and into light-tight contact therewith I provide the spring V, already referred to. It is preferably constructed as best shown in Figs. 3

and 5, having forwardly-extendin g spring-fingers v '1) and lateral fiat portions o c, which slide into grooves "v 12 out in the sides of the box, whereby the springs are firmly held in position. The resiliency of these spring-fingers and their forward thrust of the plate-holders are such that the plate-holders will always be pressed against the rear ends of the lenscone, as stated, and for convenience, when there are but few plate-holders at hand, or even one only, I form additional series of the grooves which receive the parts o c of the spring down each side of the box, as shown at '0 o", &c.

In order that the plate-holders adjacent to the foremost one may not be pulled from the box upon its removal therefrom by reason of the frictional contact between them, I provide inwardly-extending ledges W one at each side of the box, which are adjustable rearwardly by means of the slot W and setscrews W (best seen in Fig. 5,) to conform to the longitudinal movement of the lens-cone. These ledges W IV are so located and have such a degree of inward projectionfrom the sides of the box that the lateral edges of the frame of the plate-holders proper will just slide under them. I

It is obvious that the shutter may be attached to the front end of the lens-cone, the stops 0 and B being properly located to engage with the notch therein, if desired. I prefer, however, the construction shown.

I do not limit myself to the details of construction described and illustrated, because it will be apparent to those familiar with this art that alterations may be made therein and still the essentials of my invention employed.

I claim 1. The combination, in a photographic camera, of a shutter of segmental form attached to the front of the box and stopped at the limit of its movement by contact with the sides of the same, and an adjustable lenscarrying cone or box, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, in a photographic camera, of a shutter attached to the front of the camera-box, an adj ust-able lens-carrying cone or box, and a chamber in rear thereof adapted to receive anumber of plate-holders, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, in a photographic camera, of a shutter, a lens cone or box, the rear end whereof is provided with a lightexcluding cushion, and a plate-holder pressed by spring-pressure into substantially light-. tight contact therewith, substantially as set forth.

at. The combination, in a photographic camera, of an adjustable lens bearing cone or box, the rear end whereof is provided with a light-excluding cushion, and means to press the plate-holders into substantially light tight contact therewith, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, in a photographic camera, of a shutter, a lens cone or box, the

rear end whereof is provided with a light excluding cushion, a chamber in the rear thereof adapted to receive a number of plateholders, and a spring at the rear of the plateholders, constructed and arranged to press the plate-holders forwardly against the rear of the lens-cone, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination, in a photographic camera, of a light-excluding shutter, a lens cone or box, a chamber in rear thereof adapted to receive a number of plate-holders, a spring at the rear of the plate-holders, constructed and arranged to press the plate-holders forwardly, and inwardly-projecting ledges on the sides of the box, whereby the plate-holders are held in position during the removal of the one last exposed, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination, in a photographic camera, of a light-excluding shutter and adj ustable lens cone or box, a chamber in rear thereof adapted to receive a number of plate-holders, a spring in the rear of the plate-holders, c011- structed and arranged to press the plateholders forward, and adjustable inwardlyprojecting ledges on the sides of the box, whereby the plate-holders are held in position during the removal of the one last exposed, substantially as set forth.

8. The combination, in a photographic camera, of a shutter attached to the front of the camera-box, a lens-carrying cone or box pro vided with a light-excluding cushion at its rear end, a chamber in rear thereof adapted to receive a number of plate-holders, a spring in rear of the plate-holders, constructed and arranged to press the plate-holders into substantiallylight-tight contact with the cushion on the lens cone or box, and inwardly-proj ectin g ledges on the sides of the box, substantially as set forth.

9. The combination, in a photographic camera, of a shutter attached to the front of the box, an adjustable lens cone or box provided with a light-excluding cushion at its rear end, a chamber in rear thereof adapted to receive a number of plate-holders, a spring in rear of the plate-holders, and adjustable inwardlyprojecting ledges on the sides of the box, substantially as set forth.

10. In aphotographic camera, the combination of an apertured spring-actuated shutter of segmental form, provided with a holdingpawl operated from the exterior of the box, with an adjustable stop-pawl constructed and arranged to be operated from the exterior of the box and to engage with a projection or detent on the shutter and to hold the opening therein in alignment with the lightaperture in the front of the box, substantially as set forth.

11. A camera-box having a lens cone or box independent of the camera-box, and provided with a thumb screw constructed and arranged to pass through the opening in the side of the camera-box and clamp the lens-cone in position within the same,whereby it may be readily removed for change of lenses, substantially as set forth.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 23d day of October, A. D. 1888.

ERASTUS B. BARKER.

\Vitnesses:

PHILLIPS ABBOTT, WILLIAM Eek. 

